10 things you probably don't know about Mexico City

Getting to know Mexico City – Mexico's capital is a feast of sounds, smells and sights to discover.

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Strength in numbers – With more than 20 million people pulsing through its streets, Mexico City is well-positioned for record-setting. On August 29, 2009, nearly 14,000 people helped break the Guinness World Record for the biggest mass dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

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A welcoming community – Latin America's conservative position on homosexuality has started to shift in recent years, and Mexico City has been at the forefront. The 35th Gay Pride Parade made its way along Reforma Avenue on June 29, 2013.

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Strides against pollution – Government programs that encourage bike-riding and limit the number of days motorists can take to the streets have improved the city's serious pollution problem, longtime residents say.

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Ancient roots – A drained lake bed and relics from an ancient civilization are part of the city's foundation. In the late 1970s, archaeologists unearthed ruins of the Templo Mayor, an Aztec temple that's now a popular tourist destination.

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Unusual challenges – The dried-out bed of a big lake isn't the best foundation for construction. The 1910 Angel of Independence monument is one of the city's sinking structures.

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Remarkable wealth – One of the world's richest men, Carlos Slim, lives in Mexico City, and many of the companies he controls are based there, too.

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Evolving security – With drug violence plaguing other parts of the country, Mexico City has earned a reputation as one of the safer places to go in Mexico.

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Dynamic dining – Delicious tacos are abundant, but the city's dining scene is vast and varied.

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Entertaining transit – The city's subway system is efficient and great for people-watching, such as during the annual No Pants Subway Ride on January 12, 2014.

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Tranquil charm – It's not all hustle and bustle. Quiet neighborhoods like San Angel have cobblestone streets, beautiful buildings and quaint cafes that will give you a chance to catch your breath.

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Story highlights

Mexico City's metro area is one of the world's largest, with more than 20 million people

The huge population makes for interesting record-setting

There's still smog and crime, but it's not as bad as you think

Mexico City began as the home of an ancient empire and grew into a massive, modern metropolis.

With more than 20 million people pulsing through its streets, it's one of the world's largest cities.

That big-city bustle brings with it delicious food, massive markets and more cultural events in a day than anyone can ever keep track of.

For years, Latin America's deep-rooted ties to the Roman Catholic Church meant much of the region tended to take a more conservative tack when it came to homosexuality. But that's started to shift in recent years, and Mexico City has been at the forefront.

Because of its geographic location -- in a valley between mountains -- and the sheer number of cars traveling its streets, smog is a problem the city is still battling. But with government programs that encourage bike-riding and limit the number of days motorists can take to the streets, longtime residents say the pollution problem is much better than it used to be.

It's hard to imagine now, but much of the sprawling concrete jungle that now makes up Mexico City was once a large lake.

The Aztecs constructed a massive civilization there, with Tenochtitlan serving as the capital.

That city, which started out on an island and expanded to include reclaimed parts of the lake, thrived until the Spanish conquest. After winning the battle for control of the area in 1521, Spaniards destroyed Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City on top of its ruins, using canals and roads from the Aztec city as the basis for new streets and eventually draining the lake.

But they didn't entirely erase the past. That's made for some fascinating ancient finds as Mexico City grew into a modern urban metropolis.

In 1978, electrical company workers digging near the city's central square came upon an Aztec relic. That led to archaeologists unearthing ruins of the Templo Mayor, an Aztec temple that's now a popular tourist destination in Mexico City.

5. It's sinking.

It turns out the dried-out bed of a big lake isn't the best foundation for building construction.

If you want proof, take a look at some of Mexico City's most iconic structures.

The sloped floor and a swinging pendulum inside the Metropolitan Cathedral show that the building is decidedly tilted.

Head up Reforma Avenue to the Angel of Independence, and you'll need to walk up steps that the city built over the years as the area around the 1910 monument sank.

Government officials have estimated that the city is sinking at a rate of 10 centimeters (4 inches) per year. A recent government report (PDF) estimated that Mexico City has sunk 10 meters (32.8 feet) in the past 60 years.

Pujol, a restaurant in the city's posh Polanco neighborhood, ranks among the world's top eateries. But it's not all about fine dining.Market stalls and street stands serve up some of the city's most delicious food.

If you're looking for tequila, it's not hard to get it. But if you want to drink like a local, try mezcal or pulque.

All three drinks are made from agave plants. Tequila comes from blue agave. Mezcal can be made from different types of agave plants and has become a popular drink for hipsters in Mexico's capital.

So has pulque, a 2,000-year-old Aztec drink made from fermented but undistilled agave juice.

9. The subway is fast, cheap and fascinating.

While many businessmen and foreigners who live in the city rely on taxis and car services, Mexico City's metro is still the most popular way to get around for the masses.

And it's not just a way to get from point A to point B. For some people, stations on the city's 12 subway lines are a destination. There are shops, libraries, art exhibits and even computer labs inside.

If you need a break from the bustle, it takes only a short subway ride in Mexico City to reach places where you'll feel like you stepped back in time.

Neighborhoods like San Angel and Coyoacan (where artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo made their home) have cobblestone streets, beautiful buildings and quaint cafes that will give you a chance to catch your breath.